Three ambitious Northumbria University students are set to take the
event management industry by storm after launching their own company; Happen
Events in Newcastle.
The three friends are second year students on the innovative
Entrepreneurial Business Management (EBM) programme run by Newcastle Business
School. Students on the three-year
course work in small teams to make their business ideas a reality.
Aged between 20 and 25, Josh Ellwood from Leicestershire, Angus Currie
from Newcastle and Patrick Rycroft from Cumbria were inspired to go into
business together after successfully delivering two prestigious graduation
events for over 300 guests.
Based in the Northern Design Centre in Gateshead, Happen Events specialises
in end-to-end event management for corporate and private functions, award
ceremonies, conferences, networking, training and team building events.
The entrepreneurial trio are the masterminds behind a major conference
on Brexit which is taking place in Newcastle on 23 March in association with global
financial services provider Santander.
Aimed at the North East business community, the event is called ‘BREXIT:
For or Against, you must be EXIT ready’, and will look at the impact of Brexit to
businesses in the North East, how business can capitalise on Brexit
opportunities and how they can best prepare for withdrawal from the European
Union.
Josh Ellwood, managing director at Happen Events, explains: “Our idea
for the Brexit conference stemmed from the number of SME and start-up
businesses we have met through the EBM programme. It was clear there was a real
need to help people in business who feel unprepared.
“This has influenced and shaped the content of the conference. It’s
nothing to do with being for or against leaving the EU, it’s about helping
North East businesses to be Brexit ready. We are delighted to have secured such
high calibre speakers. This is an event not to be missed. Our aim is to provide
expert advice and insight to local businesses on the national and international
opportunities available to them.”
High profile guest speakers at the conference include James Ramsbotham,
chief executive of the North East England Chamber of Commerce, John Carroll, head
of international business at Santander Corporate & Commercial Bank speaking
about exporting opportunities for North East SMEs, Ben Gutteridge, head of fund
research at Brewin Dolphin, discussing emerging markets outside of the UK and
Ben Martin, founder of the Brexit Tracker Tool.
They will be joined by an expert panel representing North East
business, which includes Chi Onwurah, Labour MP for Newcastle Central, James
McDonagh, director EMEA at Frank Recruitment Group, Neil Warwick, head of EU
and competition at Square One Law and Lucy Winskell OBE, Pro Vice-Chancellor
(Employability & Partnerships) at Northumbria University.
James Ramsbotham, chief executive of the North East England Chamber of
Commerce, said: “Whilst the details of any Brexit deal are not known, it is
very hard for businesses to plan for their future. It is clear, however, that
almost all businesses will be impacted in some way.
“Any guidance for businesses is welcome as they do need to consider
their options and be prepared to act swiftly once the outcome of current
negotiations is known. I congratulate
Happen Events for working to help other businesses to be better prepared.”
Lucy Winskell OBE added: “This is a bold and enterprising initiative by
our students and I applaud them for their entrepreneurial flair and drive. They
have put together a conference of huge significance, and attracted some of the
most influential business figures in the region to speak. Northumbria is rated
the UK’s top university for graduate start-ups by turnover and Happen Events is
typical of this success.”
Happen Events has also teamed-up with North East tech entrepreneur Paul
Lancaster from Plan Digital UK to promote the event widely across social media.
The ‘BREXIT: For or Against, you
must be EXIT ready’ conference takes place on 23 March between 12:30pm – 4:30pm
at the Crowne Plaza Newcastle, Stephenson Quarter, Forth Banks, NE1 3SA. Tickets
are available at: https://www.happenevents.co.uk/events/brexit-for-or-against-you-must-be-exit-ready.
